Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-27
THE PROGRESS OF TEXAS.
BY John Ireland, Governor Of the State,
in December, 1885, Number Of
Nerth American Review.
What - Governor Knows About the State
He Would Represent in the
United States Senate.



state do not need to have the errors in
the Review article, to which it is my pur-
pose to call your attention, pointed out
to them. Furthermore, because the ris-
ing generation are naturally more apt to
be misled by the authority of high politi-
cal position in matters connected with the
history of the state.
You will doubtless be incredulouS when
told that in an article OF four and quar-
ter octave pages by the Governor of the
state, published in the leading periodical
Of America, there occur fifteen gross mis-
takes-mistskes in history, in biography,
IN geography and in statistics. But let
US see.
The first fact stated by Governor Ire
land is in these words:
"In 1922 colony of 500 families came
to Texas under contract made by Ste
phen F. Austin. g native of Connecticut,
with the Mexican government"
Now, a colony of 500 families did not
come to Texas in 1922. The handful of
colonists that did come in that year did
not come under contract made by
Stephen F. Austin; and Stephen F. Aus
tin was not q native of Connecticut.
With these trifiing exceptions Governor
Ireland's statement is marvel of cor
rectness. The grant by the Mexican
government, under which the Austin col
onists, to the number of not exceeding
fifty families all told, came to Texas in
1922 wss made to Moses Austin. On
his death, June 10, 1921, Stephen f. Aus
tin undertook to carry out the colonial
ton project of his father and came TO
Texas, bringing fourteen colonists in De-
cember, 1921.
In April, 1922, he proceeded to the City
OF Mexico and remained there over a
year, during which period the colony
made few additions to its number. So
few, indeed, that in the latter part of
1928, Austin induced the unmarried men
to unite in pairs. making one the head of
the family, in order to swell the number
of families. 1t was Moses Austin who |
was norn in Connecticut. Stephen f. |
Austin was born at Austinville, Va. See |
Yoakum's History of Texas, vol. l, PIP. |
30 214-229 Also Guy NJ. Bryan's letter,
July l, 1852, quoted by Yoakuml.
The third sentence following the one |
last quoted reads as follows: "The col
onists settled ON the rich alluvial lands of
the Brazos, Trinity and Colorado rivers"
The context plainly shows that the colon
lists here referred to are the Austin colon
lists. Now, IN point of fact, broad ex
panse of territory interviewed between the
eastern boundary OF Austln's grant and
the Trinity river. Besides the Trinity
lands were granted to Hayden Ed
wards for colony In 1925,
and struggling settlers, belonging
to no colony, were refused
locations on that stream by the Mexican
government prior to this concession 10
Hayden Edwards. Yoakum tells US that
"this boundary (the Hayden Edwards
grant, Included the fine lands of the
Trinity, Neches and Angelina rivers, and,
with the exception Of the Austin grant,
was perhaps the most desirable location
in Texas"
Governor Ireland says: "The first act
of the newly freed people of Texas was
to extend invitation and welcome to all
the world, by Offering to every man who
would come among them a portion of the
domain they had won. To each head of a
family they gave 400 acres, and to each
single man 1880 acres"
Here is a surprising perversion of facts
as well as figures. Prior to the Declare
ton of the Independence of Texas, March
>, 1885, the Mexican colonization laws
granted to immigrants one league and
labor of land (4605 acres) to each head of
g family and one-tbird of a league 1416
acres) to each single man. Many OF the
new corners had not received their grants,
and hence the constitution of the
republic of Texas of 18th March,
1886, section 10, general laws,
granted cone League and labor OF land to
each head of family, and one-third of
a league to each single man resid
ing in Texas on March ,, 1886, who had
received no land under the colonization
laws of Mexico" Thus 1t is seen that it
was simple act OF Justice to a portion OF
theIpeopleIalres residing in Texas, and
not at all 'an invitation and welcome 20
all the world" This is obviously the
grant referred TO by Governor Ireland,
because this was "the first act Gin refer
ence to that subject NATTER CT the newly
born people of Texas" and because no
such grant as he sets forth was even sub
sequently made. See Revised Civil
Ststutes of 1879, psge 554; also, Pascha's
Digest, title Head Rights.
But the wo,st blunder, if there can be
a worst, in this Astounding article, is
this:
"Texas, embracing all the territory be-
tween the oath and lO6th degrees of west
longitude, and the Goth and 36th degrees
Of north latitude-a territory of PA 900
square miles-larger than the half of
Europe, emitting Russia"
1t is painful to loyal Texan to curtail
by hairs breadth the imperial dmen-
sions of the states domain, but the logic
of lines of latitude and longitude is mex
orable. Take map, trace the boundary
of Texas laid down by Governor Ireland,
and YOU will see that it includes not only
Texas, but ell the Indian Territory, ex-
eept a thirty mile strip along its northern
border, more than half of New Mexico,
all of the Mexican state of Coahuila, and
three fourths of Nuevo Leon and Chi
huahua!
The map of Texas published in 1879,
as correct by W. c. Walsh, Com
missioner of the Land Lftice, gives the
the total area of the state, Including
Greer county and all the lakes and bays,
as 269, 694 square miles, showing dis
crepancy hardly worth mention, but still
equal to the area of the sovereign state
Of Connecticut. And as to the comparison
with Europe, the accepted authorities on s
the subject credit Europe. emitting Rus
sic, with an area of l,690,lS+ square ,
miles, the half of which being 645,092 !
square miles, is about three and third
-irnac tho sptusl srea of Texas